Adjustable feed for fountain pens



Aug. 11, 1931. K. s. PARKER 1,318,743

ADJUSTABLE FEED FOR FOUNTAIN PENS Filed Sept. 26. 1929 Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KENNETH S. PARKER, 01 JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE PARKER PEN U COMPANY, OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN ADJUSTABLE FEED FOB FOUNTAIN PENS Application filed September 26, 1929. Serial No. 395,268.

of the varying writing characteristics of different users and regardless of the speed of Writing, writing touch, kind of ink, style of pen point, or anyother feed-varying condi- It will be appreciated that it would tions. be impractical for the manufacturer of the pen toadjust the feedat the factory to suit the writing characteristics of all different users, and to meet all of the foregoing conditions. V

The principal object of my invention, therefore, is to provide an adjustable feed for fountain pens which is of a character permitting adjustment by the user to regulate the ink feed to his own perculiar writing char-- acteristics, including writing speed, writing touch, the form of the pen point, the kindof ink, etc. 7

Another and more specific object is to provide ink; feed means including a feed bar having a feed channel therein and located immediately beneath the pen nib, and means readily accessible and adjustable in the feed channel which is adapted to restrict thefiow.

of ink through the feed channel more or less,

as best suited to the particular user.

Another object is to provide feed mechanism of the foregoing character which may be readily, and with a minimum of expense,

use.

Other and further objects and advantages will become apparent as this description progresses and by reference to the drawings wherein,-

Figure 1 is a rear elevatlonal vlew showadded to fountain pen structures already in ing a portion of one form of fountain pen em bodying my adjustable feed invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the feed bar shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is avertical section taken substantially-on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan View of a portion of the feed bar structure of the pre vious figures, showing the feed adjusting means 1n position for restricting or cutting down the flow of ink through the feed channel section, of a portion of a fountain penembodying another form of my inventlon;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the feedbar shown in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 88 of Fig. 7.

Referring particularly to the pen structure shown in Figs. 1 to 5, it comprises a bar" rel 10 having a pen section 11, mounted in its lower or writing end. This pen section includes a nozzle 12 in which are mounted the nib 13 (of gold or other suitable material) and feed bar 14:. The rearward portions of the nib and feed bar are similarly rounded in cross-section so as to fit eachv other,

as shown best in Fig. 4. The'feed bar has a longitudinal slot, which is of rectangular shape in cross-section, in its upper surface providing with the adjacent nib surface an ink feed channel or conduit 15. The foun tain pen is preferably of the self-filler type and may be provlded with any suitable form of filling mechanism (not shown) including 7 an ink reservoir in communication with the ink channel 15. For example, the filling mechanism may be of the well known form including a collapsible ink sac mounted upon the nozzle 12 and constituting the inkreservoir together with means for depressing the sac.

My invention provides for accurate con trol of the feed of ink through the channel 15. To that end, the near mid-part of the feed bar 14, slightlyioutward from the nozzle 12, is provided with an opening 16 ex Fig. 6 is an elevational-view, partially in tending from its under side into the feed channel. A cylindrical adjusting member 17 is rotatably mounted in the opening 16, the friction fit of this member being such that it will remain, normally, in any of its rotative positions. The inner endof this member 17 is providedwitha diametrically-located rib 18 which is of a depth corresponding substantially to the depth of'the-i'nk feed channel. The end of this rib which lies adjacent the nib 13 is rounded to conform to the curvature of adjacent surface 'of the nib in whatever rotative position the rib 18 may assume, so that it takes'a plan shape-similar to the cross-sectional shape of the closed channel 15. The outermostjend of 'the'm'ember 17 is provided with a slightly enlarged head 19 havinga cross slot 17for engagementwith a suitable device to rotate the member-'17 and rib 18. The under or outermost part of the feed baropeninglti isenlarged to "snugly receive the head '19 in a "somewhat countersunk fashion. This head '19 prevents the exertion ofpressure' upward on the nib 13 when-pressure isapplied to the mem- *b'er'l'? toadjust the latter, thereby insuring against upsetting the desirable assembly relationshipbetween" thenib andfeed bar, as well as preventing denting, or otherwise distorting, the 'nib.' J a In the use'of my invention'the ink flows from the reservoir through the feed channel 15 along the-nib 13 in afmanner well under- "stood in thea'rt. "Fora full, free fiow of the ink,'the*men1ber 17 is turnedso that the feed control rib 18 assumes-a position centrally of the feed channel and parallel with the axis of the pen. If, forany'reason, theuser finds itadvisable for his best writing purposes to reduce the ink feed, the rib 18 is turned 'diagonally of the feed channel, to desired extent, thereby restricting theinkflow. "The rotative friction fit of the adjusting member 17 provides for the'slightestofadjustments so that the user mayregulate the ink flow to the most satisfactory feed point. This feed arrangement, further, provides'the fOregoing advantages withoutsacrificing or 'impairing anyof the feed advantages offered by the highly efiicient nib, feed bar "and'feed channel :irrangeinent shown and described.

' In Figs 6, i 7 and '8 I have shown another form "of my invention which is substantially the same as that of the previous figures except as to the detail construction of the adjustable feed member. Specifically, in this form, the feed bar 14: is provided with an opening 16 in which arotata'ble feedinember 20 is mounted. The inner endof the "member 20 is rounded to conform to the curvature'of the nib 13 in whatever ro'tative position it may'assume. This "rounded inner end ofthe "member 20 is provided 'with'a r'e ctangularlyshaped slot 21passing diametrically "there through, wliichslot is of the widthof the feed adjusting member 20 is in the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the feed channel 15 is full'open. To reduce the ink flow, the memberQO is turned so that the side walls of the slot 21 are diagonal to the feedchannel side Walls thereby restricting the ink passageway through themember 20. The operation. of this form, except as above stated, is the same asthe previously described form. In both formsshown and described, the adjustments 'may'equally' well be made to increase or decrease the ink i'low' as the conditions require.

The advantages of my invention willbe obvious from the foregoing. By'inaking the proper adj ustment, the ink may be fed freely, regardless of the kind ,of ink, the writing speed, the writing touch, the kind of pen point,etc

It will be understood that while I have shown and described only twoforms of my invention, other changes in details and'ar- "range'mentof parts'may be made Without departing from ny invention as defined in the claims which follow.

'1. Ina fountain pen, a' pen section includa nozzle member, a feed bar mounted in said nozzle having an open-sided ink'feed c'hannela'longone side thereof, a nib mounted in said nozzleand"embracing said feedbar so as to cover and form a side of said ink channel, saidfeed barhaving an opening therein extending from said feed channel to its opposite side,'a member'rotatably mounted in said. opening and havinga projecting part extending into said channel to adjacent said nibfor regulating thefiowof ink through said channel.

2. In afountain pen, a pen section includ- "ing'a nozzle member, a" feed bar mounted in said nozzle having an open-sidedink feed channel along one side thereof, a nib-mounted in said nozzle'an'd" embracing-said feed bar seas-to cover and form a side-of said ink channel, said feed bar having an opening therein extendingfrom said feed channel to "its opposite side, a member rotatably mounted in'sai'd o'p'eningand having'a projecting part e tending-into-said channel toadjacent saidmb, upon rotation of said member said channel part thereof being adaptedt-o assume "a diagonal: position with respect to the-walls ofsa-id channel to restrict toany desired extent the fiow of ink through said channel.

1 3.111 a fountain pen, a-pen section'including a nib and feed bar, the feed bar being slotted on one side toform with said nib'an ink feed channel, said "feed bar 'havinfgan opening leading to said channel, a member mounted in said opening, a valve element at the end of said member and controlled thereby to control the flow of ink through said channel in cooperation with the wall of said bar slotand said nib, and means accessible to the user for rotation of said member.

4. In a fountain pen, a pen section including a feed bar slotted on one side and a nib engaging the slotted part of said feed bar to form an ink feed conduit, and means rotatable in said conduit and cooperating with the adjacent walls of said nib and slotted bar to restrict to varying extents the ink flow path through said conduit.

5. In a fountain pen, a pen section including a nib having its rear portion of rounded cross-section, a feed bar rounded to fit to the rounded part of said nib, said bar being slotted longitudinally beneath said nib'to form with said nib an ink feed conduit, and means for controlling the flow of ink through said conduit comprising a member rotatably mounted in said feed bar, a part on said member and of a shape in plan of the cross-sec tional shape of said conduit, and another part on said member accessible for rotation of said member.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

KENNETH S. PARKER. 

